Top 10 Most Beautiful Destinations of Andalusia (Spain) One of the many wonderful things about southern Spain is that there are so many little villages to discover. Andalusia, a rocky, sun-baked region on Spain’s southern coast, has its own character and its own specialties, which makes every trip an authentic experience. Instead of visiting only Malaga, Granada, Cordoba or Seville, try exploring the interior of Andalusia along the Route of the White Hill Towns. This charm bracelet of charming villages gives you wonderfully untouched Spanish culture. From Moorish palaces, traditional towns and villages to golden beaches and hot flamenco. We compiled a list of The 10 Most Beautiful Towns In Andalusia. Medina Sidonia Medina Sidonia is a small village set atop a hill called “Cerro del Castillo” in the Province of Cadiz. The village has Roman and medieval walls and tidy narrow cobbled streets. At the top of the hill you will find an old Muslim fortress, and the Torrestrella Castle, both dating from the 12th-14th Centuries. Medina Sidonia is also famous for having within its township numerous fighting-bull ranches. ¿Looking for a Halal Restaurant? Halal restaurant in Cadiz Alhama de Granada Alhama de Granada is a pretty, ancient spa town located approximately 53 km (33 miles) from Granada. It is perched precariously at the top of a ravine from where the Rio Alham carves through otherwise rolling countryside. There are 6,000 inhabitants in the town, and its picturesque location, thermal springs, affordable tapas and Spanish charm attract many visitors. Casares Nestled in the hillside with its white-painted houses interlaced with tiny streets, Casares is a unique village of Arab origin that has been designated as a Historical-Artistic Site. Its main tourist attractions are the quaint streets, the ruins of the Medieval castle and the Birthplace of Blas Infante. Besides walking along the narrow, cobbled streets with their

Top 10 Most Beautiful Destinations of Andalusia (Spain) One of the many wonderful things about southern Spain is that there are so many little villages to discover. Andalusia, a rocky, sun-baked region on Spain’s southern coast, has its own character and its own specialties, which makes every trip an authentic experience. Instead of visiting only Malaga,

Discover Granada Must See Sights Dobla de Oro Islamic Heritage Discover Granada Must See Sights Dobla de Oro Islamic Heritage. World Heritage Sites protected by UNESCO tell you the history of old Al-Andalus in Andalusia (Spain) History After the fragmentation of the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba in the 11th Century the city of Granada began to acquire an increasingly important position on the map of Al Andalus. The Zirid Dynasty established a kingdom in the city, building the Qadima, a fortress protected by defensive walls and glorified by palace buildings in what is today the high part of the Albayzin. With the arrival of the Almoravids and above all the Almohads, the city went from strength to strength. When Al-Ahmar de Arjona proclaimed himself the first King of the Nasrid dynasty in 1238, he turned his attention to the hill opposite known as La Sabika. The Alhambra was born and the Albayzin became a residential district. Under the Nasrids the Alhambra and the Albayzin enjoyed a period of burgeoning architectural heritage until 1492 when Isabel and Ferdinand conquered Granada. The new rulers decided to develope the city in other directions. The Albayzin was left as the last bastion of the Moriscos, the Muslims who remained in the Iberian Peninsula after the Christian conquest. Over time the Albayzin underwent dramatic urban development with the widening of its streets, the construction of churches on top of what once were mosques, the arrival of new religious orders and the construction of grand palaces for the local nobility on the bank of the River Darro. The close links between the Albayzin and the Alhambra show that the designs used in one are often imitated in the other. The Court of Myrtles in the Alhambra is a house of palatial dimensions, which the surviving Moorish houses in the Albayzin reproduce at

Discover Granada Must See Sights Dobla de Oro Islamic Heritage Discover Granada Must See Sights Dobla de Oro Islamic Heritage. World Heritage Sites protected by UNESCO tell you the history of old Al-Andalus in Andalusia (Spain) History After the fragmentation of the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba in the 11th Century the city of Granada began to acquire an increasingly important

Alhambra Palace & Generalife An Islamic World Heritage Alhambra Palace & Generalife are definitely Granada highlights, keep reading and discover why. The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means "red castle", perhaps due to the hue of the towers and walls that surround the entire hill which by sunlight is transformed into gold. But there is another more poetic version, its said that the construction of the Alhambra fortress was done "by the light of torches", the reflections of which gave the walls their particular coloration. Created originally for military purposes, the Alhambra was an fortress, a palace and a smal city. There is no reference to the Alhambra as being a residence of kings until the 13th century even though the fortress had existed since the 9th century. The first kings of Granada, the Zirites, had their castles and palaces on the hill of the Albaicin, and nothing remains of them. The Nasrites were probably the emirs who built the Alhambra, starting in 1238. The founder of the dynasty, Muhammed Al-Ahmar, began with the restoration of the old fortress. His work was completed by his son Muhammed II, whose immediate successors continued with the repairs. The construction of the palaces dates back to the 14th century and is the work of two great kings: Yusuf I and Muhammed V. To the first we owe, among others, the Chamber of Comares, the Gate of Justice, the Baths and some towers. His son, Muhammed V, completed the beautification of the palaces with the Chamber of the Lions, as well as other rooms and fortifications. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs conquered the city of Granada. Later, various structures were built for prominent civilians also military garrisons, a church and a Franciscan monastery. Emperor Charles

Alhambra Palace & Generalife An Islamic World Heritage Alhambra Palace & Generalife are definitely Granada highlights, keep reading and discover why. The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means “red castle“, perhaps due to the hue of the towers and walls that surround the entire hill which by sunlight is transformed into gold.

Discover Malaga in Costa del Sol Andalusia What to see in Malaga in a Day Trip? The Alcazaba This palace-fortress against the hillside of the mount of Gibralfaro, it was constructed in the XI century on the ruins of another Roman bastion. The caliphal horseshoe arches, courtyards and bubbling fountains are evocative of this influential Moorish period in Malaga. Don’t miss the small archaeological museum located within the former servants’ quarters of the Nazari palace, with its exhibits of Moorish ceramics and pottery. Address: Calle Alcazabilla, 2, 29012 Malaga, Spain Visiting hours: From April 1to October 31 from 9:00 to 20:00 From November 1to March 31 from 9:00 to 18:00 Free Sundays from 14:00 Gibralfaro Castle As a lookout post, we can consider it related to the origins of Málaga as a human settling. It must have already existed previous to the Roman dominance, but the Arabs gave it a structure of strength. The mount received the name of "Jabal-Faruk" (lighthouse mountain). In the first half of the XIV century, Yusuf Y built the castle and other outbuilings. It originally acted as a lighthouse and military barracks.The Catholic Kings choose the Castillo de Gibralfaro for the coat of arms they gave the city in the late XV century. Address: Camino Gibralfaro, S/N, 29016, Malaga, Spain Visiting hours: Winter from 9:00 to 18:00 Summer from 9:00 to 21:00 Museum Pablo Picasso The Museo Picasso was created in response to the artist’s desire for his work to be exhibited in the city where he was born. It houses a collection of 204 works that cover Picasso’s revolutionary innovations, a wide range of styles, materials and techniques. Temporary expositions and the specialized bookshop completes the visit. And don’t miss neither the Phoenician, Roman, Islamic and Renaissance archaeological remains in the museum’s basement, discovered during construction works. Address: Palacio de Buenavista C/ San Agustín, 8 29015 Malaga,

Discover Malaga in Costa del Sol Andalusia What to see in Malaga in a Day Trip? The Alcazaba This palace-fortress against the hillside of the mount of Gibralfaro, it was constructed in the XI century on the ruins of another Roman bastion. The caliphal horseshoe arches, courtyards and bubbling fountains are evocative of this influential

HALAL TRIP TO SPAIN MUSLIM FRIENDLY BARCELONA What to see in Barcelona In the 8th century Muslims conquered Barcelona but their presence lasted less than a hundred years as ‘the Franks’ occupied the city turning it into a military strong post. Still, the Muslim presence in the Catalan region remained for quite some centuries. Church Sagrada Familia Inspired by medieval cathedrals The Sacred Family Church with three doorways which lead into each of the naves that intersect with the central aisle, it rises up in the middle of Barcelona. In the style of Neo-Gothic the building convers an area of 12,800 square metres. Although it is true that, at the present time, eight of the 18 towers that were originally planned have been completed –12 of them dedicated to Jesus’s disciples, 4 to the evangelists and 2 to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ – when Gaudí died in 1926, only the Tower of Saint Barnaby had been built. Now, 133 Years Later, Gaudí’s Cathedral Nears Completion, 6 new towers will soon be added bringing the total to 18. Address: Marina street, Barcelona Güell Park A World Heritage Site represents the Catalan Art Nouveau movement, Modernisme, through one of the key figures in contemporary architecture, Antoni Gaudi. The park was based on an english garden city concept, and evolved as a luxury development comprising some 60 detached dwellings for families. A group of houses standing above the village of Gràcia, on the so called Muntanya Pelada, or Bald Mountain. However, the outbreak of the First World War, and the scant interest in the project, turned Güell and Gaudi’s design plan into a commercial failure. What should have been a large scale development was reduced to three plots of land: one for the Trias family, one for the Güell family and another for Gaudi. Address: Park Güell 08024 Barcelona Camp

HALAL TRIP TO SPAIN MUSLIM FRIENDLY BARCELONA What to see in Barcelona In the 8th century Muslims conquered Barcelona but their presence lasted less than a hundred years as ‘the Franks’ occupied the city turning it into a military strong post. Still, the Muslim presence in the Catalan region remained for quite some centuries. Church

Visit Andalusia Islamic Heritage of Southern Spain What to See in Jerez de la Frontera The Alcazar The first part of the building were probably built in the 11th century, when Jerez was part of the Taifa Kingdom, on a site settled since pre historic times in the south-eastern corner of the city. In the 12th century, a new structure was erected to be used as Fortress Palace by the Almohad rulers of southern Spain. This Alcazar is one of the few examples of Almohad architecture that exist in the Peninsula. After the Reconquista of Andalusia, it was the seat of the first Christian mayors. As an interesting fact to mention that, the term Alcazar comes from the arabic word al-qasr and defines a set of buildings, surrounded by walls, that were the seat of the power that ruled the city and its territory. The wall with a perimeter of 4 km enclosed a city of 46 hectares and once reached a population of 16,000 inhabitants. Of the original Islamic fort, are preserved: the two doors; The mosque, the Arab baths; The Octagonal Tower and the Doña Blanca Courtyard Pavilion, located at the foot of the tower. And of later stages, the Tower of Homage of XV century, the Baroque Palace of Villavicencio and the Mill of oil of XVIII century. Nowadays the Alcazar is surrounded by a beautiful park. Visiting Times: Monday to Sunday on different schedules. Nov 01 to Mar 31 9:30 AM to 2.30 PM Apr 01 to Jun 30 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Jul 01 to Sep 15 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM Sep 16 to Oct 31 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Address: Alameda Vieja s/n 11403 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Andalusia Halal Restaurant Jaipur You migh also like to see our videos

Visit Andalusia Islamic Heritage of Southern Spain What to See in Jerez de la Frontera The Alcazar The first part of the building were probably built in the 11th century, when Jerez was part of the Taifa Kingdom, on a site settled since pre historic times in the south-eastern corner of the city. In the

Visit Andalusia The Greatest Islamic Spain Heritage During 8th centuries Muslim and Christian coexist in the Iberian Peninsula, an unique phenomenon in medieval Europe. The Muslim presence continued until their expulsion, but left behind a profound imprint. But it was in Andalusia where Islam gave its greatest fruits, and these can still be seen in many places, constructions and buildings which have in some cases received the protection of UNESCO declaring them a World Heritage for their value. The culture of Al Andalus was profoundly urban; reason why Andalusia had over 60 major cities. The Islamic city typically had a series of fixed elements. The wall, with its towers and doors, fortress (Alcazaba) and palace (Alcazar). Inside the walls a compact town, the site of the congregational mosques, markets, granaries, silk exchanges, and public baths. The most important cities had neighbourhoods extending beyond the walls. There were numerous different quarters inside the cities, inhabited mainly by Christians known as Mozarabs, and the Jews. The streets were narrow and winding, with large sections of walls and little alleys whose doors by day gave access to the interior of the blocks and their families privacy. Routes of Andalusí Heritage include all the roads which were laid down centuries ago to connect the Kingdom of Granada with the rest of Andalusia, Murcia and Portugal. The routes recovered by Andalusí Foundation trace the original layout of these itineraries. Explore over 280 towns and villages, many of them far removed from the usual tourist circuit, as well as offering travellers the chance to enjoy with calm these landscapes and meet the local communities life style, and their arts and crafts. Find the Al Andalus Heritage Routes in Andalusia Tourism website here Our Muslim Tours of Al Andalus Heritage If you are interested in visiting this places, please check out our Andalusia Islamic

Visit Andalusia The Greatest Islamic Spain Heritage During 8th centuries Muslim and Christian coexist in the Iberian Peninsula, an unique phenomenon in medieval Europe. The Muslim presence continued until their expulsion, but left behind a profound imprint. But it was in Andalusia where Islam gave its greatest fruits, and these can still be seen in

ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF ANDALUSIA, SPAIN What to see in Ronda In the 6th century the Celts who founded Ronda (Malaga) calling it Arunda. Over centuries was settled by Romans, Phoenicians, Visigoths and Arabs. In fact, like most of Andalusia, Ronda has a rich Islamic Heritage that can still be seen in its architecture. For years, the city was the capital of a small Berber Kingdom and was home to several famous poets and scholars of the Islamic world. Arabic Bathhouses The Arabic Bathhouses, located in the ancient Jewish quarter, were built in the early 14th century. Despite their extraordinary architectural interest they were abandoned and the floodwaters from the River Guadalevín eventually buried them. When the Duchess of Parcent ordered the construction of some gardens in this area the first remains of the bathhouses came to light. The excavations that have been done to date have allowed the recovery of the three chambers of the bathhouse (cold, warm and hot), which are linked by semicircular arches and covered with barrel-vaulted roofs. The bathhouse vaults are perforated by star shaped openings that filter the sunlight and create a beautiful effect. Parts of the boilers and of the water pipes are still on the site, that is one of the best preserved bathhouses from that era in all of Spain. Address: Molino de Alarcón, 11, Ronda, 29400, Málaga Visiting Time: Monday to sunday from10:00 to 18:00 Arab Bridge The Arab bridge known also as The old bridge is the oldest and smallest of three bridges that span the 120 metres deep of the canyon El Tajo in Ronda. It was built in 1616, and currently only carries pedestrian traffic. The new bridge was built in the 16th century after the Reconquest, when the market districts of Ronda were forming. The citizens of Ronda requested a new bridge

ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF ANDALUSIA, SPAIN What to see in Ronda In the 6th century the Celts who founded Ronda (Malaga) calling it Arunda. Over centuries was settled by Romans, Phoenicians, Visigoths and Arabs. In fact, like most of Andalusia, Ronda has a rich Islamic Heritage that can still be seen in its architecture. For years, the

ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF ANDALUSIA, SPAIN What to see in Seville Seville Cathedral - Ancient Aljama Mosque Santa Maria de la Sede is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and is recognised as UNESCO World Heritage. The basilica occupies the site of the great Aljama Mosque, built in the late 12th century by the Almohads, the ruling Moorish Dynasty. The remaining parts are Patio de Naranjas, Puerta del Perdon, and the Giralda. Address: Av. de la Constitución, 41004 Sevilla Visiting Time: Monday: 11:00 - 15:30 / 16:30 - 18:00 Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00 - 17:00 Sunday: 14:30 - 18:00 Royal Alcazar Originally built as a Moorish fort, it’s a warren of tranquil courtyards, ornately tiled reception rooms and lush gardens. Savour in particular the orange groves and 16th century Ladies’ Gardenwith its fountains and bordered pathways. Address: Patio de Banderas, 41004 Sevilla Visiting Time: from 9:30 to 17:00 Tower of Gold Along the banks of the Guadalquivir River we found this 13th century military watchtower, which name comes from the golden shine it projected on the river. It was erected by the Almohad Caliphate in order to control access to Seville via the river. In the Middle Ages the tower served as a prison. Address: Paseo de Cristobal Colón, 41001 Sevilla Giralda tower Built in the 12th century, is inspired in the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh. The tower first two thirds is a former minaret from the Almohad period of Seville, the upper third Spanish Renaissance architecture. Address: Av. de la Constitución, 41004 Sevilla Plaza España The Square of Spain designed by Anibal González, was a principal building on the Maria Luisa Park edge to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits. Gonzalez combined a mix of 1920s Art Deco, "mock Mudejar", and Neo-Mudéjar styles. The complex is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous bridges representing

ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF ANDALUSIA, SPAIN What to see in Seville Seville Cathedral – Ancient Aljama Mosque Santa Maria de la Sede is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and is recognised as UNESCO World Heritage. The basilica occupies the site of the great Aljama Mosque, built in the late 12th century by the Almohads, the ruling Moorish Dynasty. The